Five-run first propels Brewers over Dodgers
MILWAUKEE -- After tangling with Dodgers aces Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke in the first two games of this series, the Brewers showed off a pretty good pitcher of their own Wednesday night.
Wily Peralta hit 96 mph in the first inning and was still there in the eighth as the big right-hander, a 17-game winner last season, benefited from the Brewers' five-run first inning on the way to a 6-3 win at Miller Park on Wednesday.
"Give Wily a lead like that on a night he was throwing pretty darn good, and you feel pretty good," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "We did a great job. Sometimes, it's that big inning that wins you the game."
Peralta (1-4) won for the first time this season after allowing three runs on seven hits in a season-high eight innings, matching the deepest outing for a Brewers starter this season. His only obstacle came in the form of Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson, who hit a pair of solo home runs and made a highlight-reel catch to rob what would have been Peralta's first hit this season.
"Just trying to put a quality at-bat out there, put a good swing and keep it simple," said Pederson.
Brewers batters jumped all over Dodgers starter Joe Wieland, a right-hander called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City before the game. Milwaukee's first four hitters went single, home run, walk, home run, with Scooter Gennett and Adam Lind each connecting for a two-run homer and a quick, 4-0 Brewers lead. Martin Maldonado added an RBI single later in the inning.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Five-spot in first: In their first 27 games combined, the Brewers had scored five runs in the first inning. They matched that total against Wieland, as Gennett and Lind homered to right field and Maldonado added insurance with two outs. The five runs matched the Brewers' biggest single-inning outburst this season, which they've equaled three times.
"It was awesome to throw up a crooked number like that for Wily, especially," said Gennett. "It seems like he goes out there and shuts them down and we only score one or two. It was nice to give him some breathing room early."
Video: LAD@MIL: Brewers score five runs in the 1st inning
Joc with the bat: In Pederson's first 14 plate appearances of this series, 11 have ended in a home run (three), walk (three) or strikeout (five). More >
Joc with the glove: Pederson made a circus catch of Peralta's booming shot to the deepest part of center field leading off the bottom of the sixth, gloving the ball just before he hit the wall. More >
Video: LAD@MIL: Pederson smashes into wall after great catch
"I have to [weight] lift a little bit harder," Peralta joked. "I hit it good. It just didn't go out. I'm going to keep trying."
QUOTABLE
"I've always had hope. This team has been very confident, and now that things are turning around we're starting to get some higher energy and some 'swag' out there, like we like to call it." -- Gennett, on the Brewers winning five of their last seven games after a 5-17 start
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
A Brewers run came off the board in the fifth inning after Dodgers manager Don Mattingly successfully challenged a call at first base. With two outs, the bases loaded and a run already in, Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner threw a Maldonado grounder wide of first base, pulling Adrian Gonzalez off the bag as a run scored -- at least according to the initial ruling. Upon review, the umpires decided Gonzalez held the bag with the tip of his toe, and overturned the call.
Video: LAD@MIL: Safe call overturned at first base in 5th
WHAT'S NEXT
Dodgers: Swingman Carlos Frias, 2-0 without allowing a run, gets his second start in the series finale coming off 5 1/3 scoreless innings against Arizona. In three relief appearances against Milwaukee last year, Frias allowed five runs in six innings. The game starts at 10:40 a.m. PT.
Brewers: Mike Fiers will seek to build on his best start of the season when he faces the Dodgers. Fiers struck out 12 Cubs batters while allowing only a run on three hits in six innings at Wrigley Field on Sunday.
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